Recently released Broncos WR has already found a new home

Former Denver Broncos wide receiver Tim Patrick has already found a new home.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Patrick is expected to join the Detroit Lions' practice squad. Schefter shared the news via Twitter/X.

In recent days, the Broncos have done their best to trade Patrick. On Monday, the Broncos began looking for potential trade partners for Patrick. If a deal could not be made by Tuesday, he was expected to be released before the league's rosters must be reduced to 53 players.

Patrick was eventually released and since he is a veteran, he was able to immediately sign with another team.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton had high praise for the veteran pass catcher, even though the team released him.

“A veteran, I would say, with a lot of grit given what he's overcome,” Payton said. “He's one of those players that's very respected and you feel his toughness.”

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The 30-year-old has not played in an NFL game since 2021 as he has struggled with multiple injuries. Patrick missed the 2022 season due to a torn ACL sustained in training camp over the summer. In 2023, he suffered a torn Achilles tendon, which he also sustained at the start of training camp.

Patrick hopes to stay healthy for the entire season this time around, but that won't be the case for the Broncos going forward. The former pass catcher, who was undrafted in 2017, began his career with the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. He was released by both teams within months of each other in 2017.

He was signed to the Broncos' practice squad a month after the 49ers released him and has been a fixture since. In four seasons with the Broncos, virtually his entire career, he caught 143 passes on 236 attempts for 2,009 yards and 12 touchdowns and averaged 14.0 yards per pass in 55 games and 37 starts.

His last two seasons were by far his best, as he appeared in 31 games and caught 104 passes for 1,476 yards and 11 touchdowns. If Patrick can find a similar rhythm with the Lions, they could become one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL.

The California native attended the University of Utah, where he had 61 catches for 888 yards and five touchdowns from 2014 to 2016, averaging 14.6 yards per catch. He led the team in catches, yards and touchdowns his senior year.

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